US4677529A - Circuit board - Google Patents

Circuit board Download PDF

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Publication number
US4677529A
US4677529A US06/838,778 US83877886A US4677529A US 4677529 A US4677529 A US 4677529A US 83877886 A US83877886 A US 83877886A US 4677529 A US4677529 A US 4677529A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
circuit board
sheet
insulating
pattern
insulating sheet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
US06/838,778
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Masamichi Watanabe
Yasushi Watanabe
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Alps Alpine Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Alps Electric Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alps Electric Co Ltd filed Critical Alps Electric Co Ltd
Assigned to ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD., A CORP. OF JAPAN reassignment ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD., A CORP. OF JAPAN ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: WATANABE, MASAMICHI, WATANABE, YASUSHI
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US4677529A publication Critical patent/US4677529A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K1/00—Printed circuits
    • H05K1/16—Printed circuits incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
    • H05K1/167—Printed circuits incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor incorporating printed resistors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K1/00—Printed circuits
    • H05K1/02—Details
    • H05K1/03—Use of materials for the substrate
    • H05K1/0393—Flexible materials
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K1/00—Printed circuits
    • H05K1/02—Details
    • H05K1/14—Structural association of two or more printed circuits
    • H05K1/144—Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to printed circuits covered by H05K1/00
    • H05K2201/10—Details of components or other objects attached to or integrated in a printed circuit board
    • H05K2201/10007—Types of components
    • H05K2201/10053—Switch
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to printed circuits covered by H05K1/00
    • H05K2201/10—Details of components or other objects attached to or integrated in a printed circuit board
    • H05K2201/10007—Types of components
    • H05K2201/10196—Variable component, e.g. variable resistor

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a circuit board and, more particularly, to a circuit board for use in a keyboard.
  • FIGS. 6 and 7, A conventional circuit board for use in a keyboard is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, where the board is indicated by reference numeral 28.
  • This board 28 consists of a first pattern sheet 25, a second pattern sheet 26, and an insulating sheet 27 sandwiched between the pattern sheets 25 and 26.
  • Each of the pattern sheets is made from a flexible insulating material and has a circuit pattern arranged thereon such that the circuit patterns on the two sheets 25 and 26 are opposed to each other.
  • the insulating sheet 27 is provided with a hole.
  • the terminals 33 of the parts 30 are connected with the circuits of the printed circuit board 31 as by soldering.
  • the circuit board 28 has edge connectors 22c and 22d for making connections to other circuits.
  • the printed circuit board 31 on which the electrical parts 30 are mounted has an edge connector 34 for making connections with other circuits.
  • the edge connectors for making connections to an external circuit and an insulating circuit board having resistors, for example, thereon are indispensable to the electrical parts such as rheostats.
  • the electrical parts are required to be mounted above the surface of the printed circuit board in a spaced relation from the surface to prevent flux from flowing into the electrical parts when the parts are soldered to the printed circuit board.
  • the assembly of the printed circuit board and the electrical parts has a large height. Therefore, in spite of the fact that the circuit board forming a portion of a control panel is thin, the whole control panel occupies a considerable portion of the volume of the electrical product. This makes it difficult to manufacture the product in small size and small thickness.
  • Another problem with the prior art structure is that the printed circuit board on which electrical parts are mounted and the edge connectors formed on the printed circuit board are necessary. Further, soldering operations are needed to make connections with these portions. Hence, the product is expensive to fabricate
  • circuit board which allows an electrical product to be manufactured in small size and small thickness, is made up of a less number of components than conventional, can be fabricated with a less number of manufacturing steps than conventional, and is inexpensive to manufacture.
  • a circuit board having a lower insulating sheet, an insulating spacer, and an upper insulating sheet which are stacked on top of each other in this order, the upper and lower insulating sheets having their respective switch circuit patterns opposed to each other, the insulating spacer having circuit patterns which act as electrical parts such as rheostats.
  • At least one of the two insulating sheets is flexible film.
  • the insulating spacer can be a filmy body printed on the film forming the insulating sheet. In this case, subsequent to the printing of the insulating spacer, said circuit patterns acting as the electrical parts such as rheostats can be easily formed by printing process. Further, it is not necessary that the film constituting the insulating spacer is bonded to the insulating sheets with bonding members.
  • the terminals of the circuit patterns formed on the insulating spacer are connected with the leads in the switch patterns formed on the insulating sheet.
  • the connection with the external circuit is made by printing using conductive ink
  • the circuit board can be manufactured by a continuous printing operation including the formation of the insulating spacer and the formation of the circuit patterns on the insulating spacer.
  • the circuit board can be manufactured in a sufficiently controlled manner and inexpensively.
  • FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a circuit board according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the circuit board shown in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the circuit board shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for showing the joint between the circuit pattern of one electrical part and a circuit pattern on a second pattern sheet;
  • FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of another circuit board according to the invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the circuit board shown in FIG. 4, for showing the joint between the circuit pattern of one electrical part and a circuit pattern on a second pattern sheet;
  • FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional circuit board
  • FIG. 7 is a front elevation of the circuit board shown in FIG. 6.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a circuit board according to the present invention.
  • This board has upper and lower insulating sheets which are formed by first and second pattern sheets 1 and 2, respectively. These insulating sheets are made from polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide, or other resin.
  • a contact pattern 3a and a circuit pattern 4a are printed with conductive ink on the first sheet 1.
  • a contact pattern 3b and a circuit pattern 4b are printed with conductive ink on the second sheet 2.
  • These patterns 3a, 4a and 3b, 4b are formed so as to be opposed to each other, for making a switch that is closed when depressed.
  • An insulating spacer 5 in the form of a sheet is made from polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide, or other resin exhibiting flexibility, or it is made of a laminate consisting of phenolic resin or epoxy resin.
  • the spacer 5 is provided with holes 6 for allowing the switch to be closed.
  • the spacer 5 has circuit patterns 8 formed by printing at other locations, the patterns 8 acting as electrical parts such as rheostats.
  • Print patterns 7 form portions of the circuit patterns 8, which are formed with holes 9 for connection with the circuit patterns on the second pattern sheet 2.
  • the first pattern sheet 1 has an opening 10 so that the circuit patterns 8 on the insulating spacer 5 are partially exposed.
  • a support plate 11 is a hard plate such as a laminated plate or iron plate.
  • the second pattern sheet 2, the insulating spacer 5, and the first pattern sheet 1 are stacked on the support plate 11 in this order and bonded to the plate 11 with bonding member such as adhesive or double-sided adhesive tape.
  • each first connector pattern 12 extends from the circuit pattern 8 of the electrical part on the insulating spacer 5 to the fringe of each hole 9.
  • Each second connector pattern 13 extends to a position at which it is exposed through each opening 9 in the insulating spacer 5, under the condition that the insulating spacer 5 is stacked on the second pattern sheet 2.
  • the first connector patterns 12 are electrically connected with their respective second connector patterns 13 by electrically conductive connector member 14 which fills the holes 9 and is an electrically conductive adhesive or the like.
  • electrically conductive connector member 14 which fills the holes 9 and is an electrically conductive adhesive or the like.
  • round holes 19 extend through the second pattern sheet 2, the insulating spacer 5, and the support plate 11 of the circuit board constructed as described above.
  • the casings 16 of the mechanisms 15 of the electrical parts are mounted to rectangular shafts 18 which are rotatably held by the holes 19.
  • the mechanism 15 of each electrical part is composed of the casing 16 that is open on its lower side, a slider support (not shown) on which a slider (not shown) sliding on the circuit surface on the insulating spacer 5, and the rotatable shaft 18 fixed in coaxial relation to the the slider support.
  • Retaining portions 20 extend downward from the ends of the opening of the casing 16, and are inserted in rectangular holes 17 formed in the circuit board. The end of the shaft 18 is inserted in the round hole 19.
  • the lower ends of the retaining portions 20 are bent so that the mechanisms 15 of the electrical parts are anchored to the circuit board.
  • the first pattern sheet 1 has an edge connector 21a which extends outwardly from one side of the sheet.
  • the second insulating sheet 2 has an edge connector 21b extending outwardly from its one side.
  • These edge connectors have terminals 22a and 22b which form the ends of the circuit patterns on the pattern sheets.
  • the terminals 22b on the second pattern sheet 2 include the output terminals of the circuit patterns of the electrical parts on the insulating spacer 5.
  • Switch circuit patterns including the contact patterns 3b are printed with conductive ink on the second pattern sheet 2. Insulating ink is applied to the second pattern sheet 2, except for the contact patterns 3b the edge connector 22b, and the holes 24 for making connections of the circuit patterns 8 of the electrical parts with the circuit patterns on the sheet 2, to form an insulating spacer 23.
  • the circuit patterns 8 of the electrical parts such as rheostats are formed on the spacer 23 by printing.
  • the circuit patterns 8 include first connecting patterns 12' overlying the surface of second connecting patterns 13 which extend from circuit patterns 4b on the second pattern sheet 2, the second patterns 13 being partially exposed at holes 24.
  • the circuit patterns 8 of the electrical parts on the insulating spacer 23 are electrically connected with the circuit patterns 4b on the second pattern sheet 2 to thereby form a circuit board.
  • a first pattern sheet 1 is placed on and bonded to the laminate formed as described above.
  • a support plate 11 is bonded to the underside of the laminate.
  • bonding member such as adhesive or double-sided tape is inserted between neighboring layers. Then, the mechanisms 15 of the electrical parts are mounted in the same manner as in the circuit board already described in connection with FIGS. 1-3.
  • the electrical parts include rotary type rheostats, rectilinearly sliding type rheostats, rotary type switches, rectilinearly sliding rheostats, and fixed resistors.
  • the novel circuit board according to the invention has a lower insulating sheet, an insulating spacer, and an upper insulating sheet which are stacked on top of each other in this order, the upper and lower insulating sheets having their respective switch circuit patterns opposed to each other.
  • the insulating spacer has circuit patterns acting as electrical parts such as rheostats. Therefore, the laminate consisting of the insulating spacer in the form of a sheet, pattern sheets, and a support plate can be used as an insulating plate on which circuit patterns of electrical parts such as rheostats are formed, the laminate essentially forming a key unit. Terminals for making connections to an external circuit is made unnecessary. Further, a printed circuit board on which electrical parts are mounted is dispensed with.
  • the novel circuit board can be made up of a less number of components than conventional. Additionally, soldering operation can be omitted. These contribute to a reduction in the manufacturing cost.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Structures For Mounting Electric Components On Printed Circuit Boards (AREA)
US06/838,778 1985-03-12 1986-03-12 Circuit board Expired - Fee Related US4677529A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP36002/85 1985-03-12
JP1985036002U JPS61151386U (is) 1985-03-12 1985-03-12

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US4677529A true US4677529A (en) 1987-06-30

Family

ID=12457574

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US06/838,778 Expired - Fee Related US4677529A (en) 1985-03-12 1986-03-12 Circuit board

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US4677529A (is)
JP (1) JPS61151386U (is)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4754370A (en) * 1986-08-26 1988-06-28 American Telephone And Telegraph Company, At&T Bell Laboratories Electrical component with added connecting conducting paths
US4895524A (en) * 1987-03-23 1990-01-23 Crouzet S.P.A. Interface device having rigid planar elements and flexible printed circuits
US4961806A (en) * 1986-12-10 1990-10-09 Sanders Associates, Inc. Method of making a printed circuit
US5097390A (en) * 1986-12-10 1992-03-17 Interflex Corporation Printed circuit and fabrication of same
US5220598A (en) * 1989-04-05 1993-06-15 Boeck Joseph Telephone
US5703702A (en) * 1993-09-08 1997-12-30 Crane; Patrick E. Holographic synthesis
US5755026A (en) * 1996-08-15 1998-05-26 Delco Electronics Corporation Method of preventing condensation on a surface housing an electronic apparatus
US20120171878A1 (en) * 2010-12-31 2012-07-05 Chi Mei Communications Systems, Inc. Circuit board assembly
USD758372S1 (en) 2013-03-13 2016-06-07 Nagrastar Llc Smart card interface
USD759022S1 (en) * 2013-03-13 2016-06-14 Nagrastar Llc Smart card interface
USD780184S1 (en) * 2013-03-13 2017-02-28 Nagrastar Llc Smart card interface
USD780763S1 (en) * 2015-03-20 2017-03-07 Nagrastar Llc Smart card interface
US9647997B2 (en) 2013-03-13 2017-05-09 Nagrastar, Llc USB interface for performing transport I/O
US9769521B2 (en) 2013-03-13 2017-09-19 Nagrastar, Llc Systems and methods for performing transport I/O
USD864968S1 (en) 2015-04-30 2019-10-29 Echostar Technologies L.L.C. Smart card interface

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1190128A (en) * 1968-08-06 1970-04-29 Electro Mechanisms Inc Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Stacked Printed Circuit Boards
US3657494A (en) * 1969-06-06 1972-04-18 Communications Patents Ltd Printed circuit switch assembly with conductors of equal length
US4105987A (en) * 1975-12-12 1978-08-08 Plessey Handel Und Investments Ag Potentiometers
US4206334A (en) * 1978-09-21 1980-06-03 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Rotatable electrical contact component with detent
US4359277A (en) * 1976-05-24 1982-11-16 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Camera with printed circuit boards comprising resistance-conductor laminated constructions
US4453152A (en) * 1983-01-10 1984-06-05 The Singer Company Sewing machine control
US4495524A (en) * 1983-06-21 1985-01-22 Nitto Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Part for a slide variable resistor
US4532575A (en) * 1981-12-29 1985-07-30 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Electronic equipment having key input function

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4246452A (en) * 1979-01-05 1981-01-20 Mattel, Inc. Switch apparatus

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1190128A (en) * 1968-08-06 1970-04-29 Electro Mechanisms Inc Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Stacked Printed Circuit Boards
US3657494A (en) * 1969-06-06 1972-04-18 Communications Patents Ltd Printed circuit switch assembly with conductors of equal length
US4105987A (en) * 1975-12-12 1978-08-08 Plessey Handel Und Investments Ag Potentiometers
US4359277A (en) * 1976-05-24 1982-11-16 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Camera with printed circuit boards comprising resistance-conductor laminated constructions
US4206334A (en) * 1978-09-21 1980-06-03 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Rotatable electrical contact component with detent
US4532575A (en) * 1981-12-29 1985-07-30 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Electronic equipment having key input function
US4453152A (en) * 1983-01-10 1984-06-05 The Singer Company Sewing machine control
US4495524A (en) * 1983-06-21 1985-01-22 Nitto Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Part for a slide variable resistor

Cited By (24)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4754370A (en) * 1986-08-26 1988-06-28 American Telephone And Telegraph Company, At&T Bell Laboratories Electrical component with added connecting conducting paths
US4961806A (en) * 1986-12-10 1990-10-09 Sanders Associates, Inc. Method of making a printed circuit
US5097390A (en) * 1986-12-10 1992-03-17 Interflex Corporation Printed circuit and fabrication of same
US4895524A (en) * 1987-03-23 1990-01-23 Crouzet S.P.A. Interface device having rigid planar elements and flexible printed circuits
US5220598A (en) * 1989-04-05 1993-06-15 Boeck Joseph Telephone
US5703702A (en) * 1993-09-08 1997-12-30 Crane; Patrick E. Holographic synthesis
US5755026A (en) * 1996-08-15 1998-05-26 Delco Electronics Corporation Method of preventing condensation on a surface housing an electronic apparatus
US20120171878A1 (en) * 2010-12-31 2012-07-05 Chi Mei Communications Systems, Inc. Circuit board assembly
US8562360B2 (en) * 2010-12-31 2013-10-22 Chi Mei Communication Systems, Inc. Circuit board assembly
US9888283B2 (en) 2013-03-13 2018-02-06 Nagrastar Llc Systems and methods for performing transport I/O
US9769521B2 (en) 2013-03-13 2017-09-19 Nagrastar, Llc Systems and methods for performing transport I/O
USD780184S1 (en) * 2013-03-13 2017-02-28 Nagrastar Llc Smart card interface
USD949864S1 (en) * 2013-03-13 2022-04-26 Nagrastar Llc Smart card interface
US9647997B2 (en) 2013-03-13 2017-05-09 Nagrastar, Llc USB interface for performing transport I/O
USD792410S1 (en) 2013-03-13 2017-07-18 Nagrastar Llc Smart card interface
USD792411S1 (en) 2013-03-13 2017-07-18 Nagrastar Llc Smart card interface
USD759022S1 (en) * 2013-03-13 2016-06-14 Nagrastar Llc Smart card interface
US9774908B2 (en) 2013-03-13 2017-09-26 Nagrastar, Llc Systems and methods for performing transport I/O
USD758372S1 (en) 2013-03-13 2016-06-07 Nagrastar Llc Smart card interface
US10070176B2 (en) 2013-03-13 2018-09-04 Nagrastar, Llc Systems and methods for performing transport I/O
USD840404S1 (en) 2013-03-13 2019-02-12 Nagrastar, Llc Smart card interface
US10382816B2 (en) 2013-03-13 2019-08-13 Nagrastar, Llc Systems and methods for performing transport I/O
USD780763S1 (en) * 2015-03-20 2017-03-07 Nagrastar Llc Smart card interface
USD864968S1 (en) 2015-04-30 2019-10-29 Echostar Technologies L.L.C. Smart card interface

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS61151386U (is) 1986-09-18

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD., 1-7, YUKIGAYA OTSUKA-CHO,

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:WATANABE, MASAMICHI;WATANABE, YASUSHI;REEL/FRAME:004527/0749

Effective date: 19851009

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Effective date: 19990630

STCH Information on status: patent discontinuation

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362